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Summary: Fusarium head blight (FHB) and the presence of mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) pose serious threats to wheat production and food safety worldwide. DON, as a virulence factor, is crucial for the spread of FHB pathogens on plants. However, germplasm resources that are naturally resistant to DON and DON‐producing FHB pathogens are inadequate in plants. Here, detoxifying bacteria genes responsible for DON epimerization were used to enhance the resistance of wheat to mycotoxin DON and FHB pathogens. We characterized the complete pathway and molecular basis leading to the thorough detoxification of DON via epimerization through two sequential reactions in the detoxifying bacterium Devosia sp. D6‐9. Epimerization efficiently eliminates the phytotoxicity of DON and neutralizes the effects of DON as a virulence factor. Notably, co‐expressing of the genes encoding quinoprotein dehydrogenase (QDDH) for DON oxidation in the first reaction step, and aldo‐keto reductase AKR13B2 for 3‐keto‐DON reduction in the second reaction step significantly reduced the accumulation of DON as virulence factor in wheat after the infection of pathogenic Fusarium, and accordingly conferred increased disease resistance to FHB by restricting the spread of pathogenic Fusarium in the transgenic plants. Stable and improved resistance was observed in greenhouse and field conditions over multiple generations. This successful approach presents a promising avenue for enhancing FHB resistance in crops and reducing mycotoxin contents in grains through detoxification of the virulence factor DON by exogenous resistance genes from microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different dietary macronutrient patterns on changes in resting energy expenditure (REE) in relation to weight loss, categorized as minimal (<5%) and moderate to high (>5%). Changes in REE were assessed using a DerSimonian and Laird random‐effects meta‐analysis. A diet lower in carbohydrates (CHO) or higher in fat and protein was associated with smaller reductions in REE, with these trends being more pronounced among participants who experienced moderate to high weight loss. Adjusted meta‐regression analysis indicated that, within the participants who experienced moderate to high weight loss, each 1% increase in CHO intake was associated with a reduction of 2.30 kcal/day in REE (95% CI: −4.11 to −0.47, p = 0.013). In contrast, a 1% increase in protein and fat intake was correlated with an increase in REE by 3.00 (95% confidence interval [CI] [1.02, 5.07], p = 0.003) and 0.5 (95% CI [−2.43, 3.41], p = 0.740) kcal/day, respectively. No significant associations were found among participants who experienced minimal weight loss. These findings indicate that, under a caloric deficit, the impact of dietary macronutrient composition on REE may vary depending on the degree of weight loss and individual metabolic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight polymer composites promise incredible applications in aerospace, seaprobes, and medical apparatus. However, their performance is generally limited by a trade‐off between mechanical strength and toughness. Herein, a crystallinity mitigating strategy driven by highly aligned bamboo macrofibers embedded in a polycaprolactone polyol (PCL) matrix for producing ultrastrong and tough lightweight polymer composites is proposed. The embedded bamboo macrofibers have oxygen‐containing functional groups on the fiber surface, that can interact with functional groups (ester and hydroxyl groups) in the molecular chains of the PCL in the form of hydrogen bonds, thus preventing the aggregation of molecular chains and the crystallization of PCL, which ultimately leads to unprecedented toughness. Meanwhile, the bamboo macrofibres with intrinsically aligned microstructure, can enable effective stress transfer and dissipation, providing remarkable ultrahigh strength. As a result, the obtained lightweight polymer composite achieves ultrahigh mechanical strength (31.5 MPa) and superior toughness (21.7 MJ m−3) at an unprecedented low density (1.07 g cm−3), representing the state‐of‐the‐art in reported lightweight polymers. Such lightweight polymer composite has the potential to greatly expedite the practical realization of artificial medical materials, including orthopedic instruments and joint prostheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state batteries (SSBs) are regarded as the most promising next‐generation energy storage devices due to their potential to achieve higher safety performance and energy density. However, the troubles in the preparation of ultrathin solid‐state electrolytes (SEs) as well as the resultant compromise in mechanical strength greatly limit the safety application of SSBs. Herein, a novel in situ polymerized integrated ultrathin SE/cathode design is developed. The ultrathin ceramic layer supported on the cathode serves not only as a rigid scaffold to prevent direct contact between the cathode and anode but also as active inorganic fillers to enhance the mechanical properties of in situ polymerized SE film. The unique Li‐ion coordination environments as well as the Li hopping mechanism profoundly promote fast ion transport in composite SEs. The in situ polymerized SEs simultaneously achieve the balance in ultrathin thickness (10 µm), fast ion transport (0.65 mS cm−1), superior Young's modulus (66.8 GPa), and excellent interface contact. The pouch cells with practical Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 configuration achieve an ultrahigh volumetric energy density of 1018 Wh L−1 and safety performance. The in situ polymerized integrated ultrathin SE/cathode design exhibits great promise for the practical application of SSBs with high energy density and safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intramuscular fat refers to the adipose tissue distributed in the muscle. It is an important indicator that affects the quality of goat meat, and can directly affect the tenderness and flavor of goat meat. Our previous study revealed the mRNA that may be crucial for intramuscular fat deposition during goat growth; however, how the microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the process is largely unclear. In the present study, a total of 401 known miRNAs and 120 goat novel miRNAs, including 110 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs, were identified among longissimus dorsi from three growth stages (2, 9, and 24 months) by miRNA sequencing. Combining analysis of the DE mRNAs and DE miRNAs was then performed by miRDB and miRwalk, and miR‐145‐5p and FOXO1, miR‐487b‐3p, and PPARG coactivator 1 α (PPARGC1A), miR‐345‐3p, and solute carrier family 2 member 4 (SLC2A4), etc. were shown to closely associate with lipid metabolism, which was then validated by a correlation analysis. The final DE mRNAs were significantly enriched in fatty acid transmembrane transport, fatty acid homeostasis, apelin signaling pathway, glucagon signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, and AMPK signaling pathway by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis. Besides, miR‐145‐5p showed a certain effect on goat intramuscular fat metabolism by acting on the possible target gene Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1). These data provide some theoretical support for improving the quality of goat meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study investigates the potential utility of IKZF1 deletion as an additional high‐risk marker for paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The prognostic impact of IKZF1 status, in conjunction with minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD), was evaluated within the MRD‐guided TPOG‐ALL‐2013 protocol using 412 newly diagnosed B‐ALL patients aged 1–18. IKZF1 status was determined using multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification. IKZF1 deletions, when co‐occurring with CDKN2A, CDKN2B, PAX5 or PAR1 region deletions in the absence of ERG deletions, were termed IKZF1plus. Both IKZF1 deletion (14.6%) and IKZF1plus (7.8%) independently predicted poorer outcomes in B‐ALL. IKZF1plus was observed in 4.1% of Philadelphia‐negative ALL, with a significantly lower 5‐year event‐free survival (53.9%) compared to IKZF1 deletion alone (83.8%) and wild‐type IKZF1 (91.3%) (p < 0.0001). Among patients with Day 15 MRD ≥0.01%, provisional high‐risk patients with IKZF1plus exhibited the worst outcomes in event‐free survival (42.0%), relapse‐free survival (48.0%) and overall survival (72.7%) compared to other groups (p < 0.0001). Integration of IKZF1plus and positive Day 15 MRD identified a subgroup of Philadelphia‐negative B‐ALL with a 50% risk of relapse. This study highlights the importance of assessing IKZF1plus alongside Day 15 MRD positivity to identify patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes, potentially minimizing overtreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) requires adequate contact between the pulmonary vein (PV) antrum and cryoballoon. The surge of intraballoon pressure during the initial phase of ablation may change the balloon's shape and compliance, resulting in balloon dislodgement and loss of PV occlusion. Without continuous monitoring, this phenomenon is often undetected but can be associated with incomplete PV isolation (PVI). Methods: Primary cryoablation of AF was performed in 15 patients. PV occlusion status pre‐ and post‐freezing were analyzed with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and dielectric imaging‐based occlusion tool (DIOT) to calculate the incidence of expansion dislodgement of cryoballoon. Results: A total of 105 cryoablation applications were performed on 57 veins, including three common ostiums of left pulmonary veins. In the evaluation of PV occlusion, both modalities reported consistent results in 86.7% of the assessments. Despite complete PV occlusion before ablation, peri‐balloon leak after initiation of freezing was detected by ICE in 5/22 (22.7%) applications and by DIOT in 8/25 (32%) applications. Conclusion: Incidence of expansion dislodgement of the cryoballoon was detected in one‐fourth to one‐third of cryoablation applications depending on the imaging modality used, which was clinically frequent and significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar water evaporation is an emerging technology for drinkable water generation, while it remains a challenge to develop materials and device for efficient water evaporation and collection. Herein, dual‐plasmonic Ti3C2Tx/CuSe two‐dimensional (2D)/2D hybrids are prepared for high‐efficiency solar water evaporation and a hydrophilic device is designed for efficient water collection. The Ti3C2Tx/CuSe hybrids, which monocrystalline CuSe ultrathin nanosheets are chemically bonded with Ti3C2Tx nanosheets, show efficient photothermal conversion owing to the plasmon‐coupling‐induced strong light absorption and fast charge transfer in the 2D/2D interface. By transferring the hybrids on a cotton piece, the Ti3C2Tx/CuSe membrane displays over 95% of solar light absorption, a stable evaporation rate of 1.893 kg m−2 h−1, and solar‐to‐vapor efficiency of 99.13% under one‐sun irradiation. The membrane can also treat water with more than 20 wt% salinity due to the rich microchannel for ion diffusion. Furthermore, a water evaporation device, which the cambered roof is painted with hydrophilic SiO2, is designed for efficient water collection. The treated roof can efficiently reduce the optical loss and transfer the vapor condensation, leading to a high average freshwater generation of 16.4 kg m−2 in a daily (10 h) natural light irradiation, much higher than other reported devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The circular catheter compatible with current cryoballoon system for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is exclusively sensed by impedance‐based electro‐anatomical mapping (EAM) system, limiting the accuracy of maps. We aim to investigate the feasibility and safety of a magnetic‐based circular mapping catheter for AF ablation with cryoballoon. Methods: Nineteen consecutive patients who underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with cryoballoon for paroxysmal or persistent AF were included. EAMs of left atrium (LA) created by the LASSOSTAR™NAV catheter (Lassostar map) before and after PVI were compared to that generated by a high‐density mapping catheter (Pentaray map) from different aspects including structural similarity, PV angle, LA posterior wall (LAPW) and low voltage areas (LVAs), and the amplitude of far field electrograms (FFEs) recorded by catheters. Results: All patients had successful PVI without major complications. With similar mapping time and density, the LA volume calculated from the Pentaray map and Lassostar map were comparable. There were no significant differences in PV angle of all PVs and PW area (16.8 ± 3.2 vs. 17.1 ± 2.8, p =.516) between Pentaray map and Lassostar map. High structural similarity score was observed between two maps (0.783 in RAO/LAO view and 0.791 in PA view). Lassostar map detected lesser but not statistically significant extension of LVA (13.9% vs. 18.3%, p =.07). Amplitude of FFE was larger at the right superior PV on Lassostar map (0.21 ± 0.16 vs. 0.14 ± 0.11 mV, p =.041) compared to that on the Pentaray map. Conclusion: In our initial experience, PVI with cryoballoon and magnetic‐based circular LASSOSTAR™NAV catheter was safe and effective based on the accurate LA geometry it created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the development of two‐qubit quantum gates, precise control over the intramolecular spin‐spin interaction between molecular spin units plays a pivotal role. A weak but measurable exchange coupling is especially important for achieving selective spin addressability that allows controlled manipulation of the computational basis states |00⟩ |01⟩ |10⟩ |11⟩ by microwave pulses. Here, we report the synthesis and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) study of a heterometallic meso‐meso (m‐m) singly‐linked VIVO−CuII porphyrin dimer. X‐band continuous wave EPR measurements in frozen solutions suggest a ferromagnetic exchange coupling of ca. 8 ⋅ 10−3 cm−1. This estimation is supported by Density Functional Theory calculations, which also allow disentangling the ferro‐ and antiferromagnetic contributions to the exchange. Pulsed EPR experiments show that the dimer maintains relaxation times similar to the monometallic CuII porphyrins. The addressability of the two individual spins is made possible by the different g‐tensors of VIV and CuII‐ions, in contrast to homometallic dimers where tilting of the porphyrin planes plays a key role. Therefore, single‐spin addressability in the heterometallic dimer can be maintained even with small tilting angles, as expected when deposited on surface, unlocking the full potential of molecular quantum gates for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft is essential to long‐term survival and quality of life in patients receiving hemodialysis. To date, no research has examined the clinical impacts of different puncture methods. This study compared the rope ladder and area puncture techniques in terms of vascular patency, pain, and quality of life among patients receiving hemodialysis. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was performed with 6‐month follow‐up. A total of 98 participants recruited from a hemodialysis center in Taiwan were randomly assigned to receive the rope ladder technique (experimental group) or the area puncture technique (control group). Vascular patency was assessed by examining access flow and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty rate. Pain and quality of life were measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument (KDQOL‐36™), respectively. All outcome variables were measured repeatedly and analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Results: Overall, quality of life was significantly better for the experimental group than for the control group (β = 47.23, p < 0.001). The percutaneous transluminal angioplasty rate was lower for the experimental group than for the control group (12.0% vs. 18.8%). However, no significant differences were found in access flow and pain level between the two groups over time. Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients who received the rope ladder puncture technique had a lower percutaneous angioplasty rate and better quality of life than patients who received the area puncture technique, suggesting that the rope ladder technique could be implemented as a routine cannulation method in hemodialysis clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing effective electrocatalysts based on ultrafine heterostructures is a promising strategy for boosting catalytic performance by exposing active sites and increasing specific surface area. However, the fabrication of catalytically active heterostructures with elaborate architectures is still poorly developed owing to synthetic challenges, and the intrinsic mechanism of heterogeneous interfaces remains unclear because of insufficient evidence regarding real active sites. In this study, ultrafine homologous Ni2P–Co2P heterostructures (Ni2P–Co2P/C) are created using a topological transformation strategy from a Ni–Co layered double hydroxide/carbon (Ni–Co LDH/C) interconnected structure in a single nanosheet. When employed as catalysts in urea oxidation reaction (UOR), the Ni2P–Co2P/C heterostructures exhibit superior activity and stability, attributed to the optimized geometric and electronic structures of the catalytic sites. Specifically, it takes an ultralow potential of 1.27 V to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a small Tafel slope of 28.71 mV dec−1. The operando analyses and calculation results reveal that cobalt incorporation can reduce the generation potential of the surface reconstructive active species and optimize the absorption/desorption energy of the intermediates. Overall, this study proposes an efficient and cost‐effective UOR electrocatalyst and offers a new high‐performance homologous heterostructure design for widespread application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet‐type solid‐state electrolytes are among the most reassuring candidates for the development of solid‐state lithium metal batteries (SSLMB) because of their wide electrochemical stability window and chemical feasibility with lithium. However, issues such as poor physical contact with Li metal tend to limit their practical applications. These problems were addressed using β‐SiC as an additive to the Li anode, resulting in improved wettability over Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 (LLZTO) and establishing an improved interfacial contact. At the Li–SiC|LLZTO interface, intimacy was induced by a lithiophilic Li4SiO4 phase, whereas robustness was attained through the hard SiC phase. The optimized Li–SiC|LLZTO|Li–SiC symmetric cell displayed a low interfacial impedance of 10 Ω cm2 and superior cycling stability at varying current densities up to 5800 h. Moreover, the modified interface could achieve a high critical current density of 4.6 mA cm−2 at room temperature and cycling stability of 1000 h at 3.5 mA cm−2. The use of mechanically superior materials such as SiC as additives for the preparation of a composite anode may serve as a new strategy for robust garnet‐based SSLMB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is substantial evidence of visual attentional biases in processing weight‐related information among individuals with weight dissatisfaction, few studies have examined auditory attentional biases in these individuals. The identification of attentional biases may provide an impetus for interventions to reduce distress, negative body image, and pathological eating patterns among weight‐dissatisfied individuals. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the attentional biases, as well as the neural consequences, toward auditory weight‐related information among weight‐dissatisfied young females. In this experiment, young female participants were assigned to an experimental group with high weight dissatisfaction (HWD) and a control group with low weight dissatisfaction (LWD) according to the levels of weight dissatisfaction. Using a spatial cueing paradigm, auditory fatness‐related, thinness‐related, and neutral household words were presented laterally as cue stimuli, followed by visual stimuli presented at either the cued or uncued location. The results revealed that auditory fatness‐related words elicited significantly larger N2ac amplitudes than auditory thinness‐related and neutral words in the HWD group. However, for the LWD group, thinness‐related words elicited a significantly larger N2ac than fatness‐related and neutral words. These results suggest an orienting attentional bias toward auditory fatness‐related body words among females with HWD and an orienting attentional bias toward auditory thinness‐related words among females with LWD. The present study is the first to demonstrate facilitated orienting of attention and subsequent maintenance of attentional bias toward auditory fatness‐related words among individuals with high levels of weight dissatisfaction, but a facilitated orienting of attentional bias toward auditory thinness‐related stimuli among individuals with low levels of weight dissatisfaction. This new evidence contributes to the model of attentional biases toward body‐related information and may help enhance prevention and/or interventions for reducing weight dissatisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the principle causes of cancer‐associated death throughout the world. However, the patients with HCC are insensitive to traditional drugs and lack effective therapeutic drugs. Dysregulation of Hippo‐Yes‐associated protein (YAP) signalling is closely associated with HCC. Bortezomib (BTZ) is mainly used in clinical multiple myeloma. It has recently been confirmed that BTZ could suppress cell proliferation in many different types of cancer. Nevertheless, the precise effects of BTZ on HCC and its possible interactions with the Hippo‐YAP signalling pathway in HCC cells remain largely unknown. In this study, HCC cell lines (HepG2 and Huh7) and nude mice with xenograft tumours were used to evaluate the influences of BTZ. Furthermore, we focused on exploring whether BTZ exerts its anti‐HCC effect through the Hippo‐YAP signalling pathway and aimed to lay a theoretical foundation for BTZ as a potential therapeutic drug for HCC. Herein, our results disclose a new mechanism of BTZ in controlling the cell growth of HCC. BTZ downregulates the level of YAP by promoting LATS1 expression to inhibit the growth of HCC cells, which leads to the phosphorylation of YAP and limits YAP nuclear translocation. In sum, our data confirmed that the Hippo‐YAP signalling pathway mediates the anti‐HCC effects of BTZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality. Chemoprevention utilizes medication or natural compounds to reverse oral premalignant lesions and to prevent second primary tumors. Methods: A comprehensive PubMed database and Cochrane Library search from 1980 to 2021 was performed using the keywords "leukoplakia," "oral premalignant lesion," and "chemoprevention." Results: Chemopreventive agents included retinoids, carotenoids, cyclooxygenase inhibitor, herbal extracts, bleomycin, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, metformin, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although some agents demonstrated effect in reducing premalignant lesions and preventing second primary tumors, the results among different studies were highly variable. Conclusions: The results of different trials, albeit inconsistent, provided substantial information for future studies. In the era of personalized medicine, future studies will focus on identifying specific biomarkers and molecular profile to monitor and to prevent malignant transformation. Larger trials are warranted to validate the effect of chemopreventive agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiation‐induced sarcoma of the head and neck (RISHN) is a rare yet devastating potential complication of radiotherapy treatment. We aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and molecular signatures of RISHN in patients who underwent radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) to identify high‐risk patients and enable earlier cancer detection. Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated 24 sarcoma patients who received radiotherapy for HNC between 1994 and 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on RISHN latency period. Patient demographics, initial tumor staging, risk factors, and survival between groups were analyzed, and whole‐exome sequencing (WES) of selected samples was performed. Results: The median age at diagnosis of RISHN was 54 years, and the male‐to‐female ratio was 2:1. The latency period ranged from 0.8 to 64.4 years (median 6.5 years), with a median survival of 21.5 months. Primary cancer in the oral cavity, treatment with alkylating agents, alcohol consumption, betel nut chewing, and smoking were identified as risk factors for short (<5 years) latency periods. The majority of RISHN cases occurred in the oral cavity (58.3%). WES analysis showed that tumor necrosis factor and cell cycle checkpoint pathways were differentially involved in both patient groups. Conclusions: Although case numbers were small, our cohort represents the largest case series of RISHN from a single institution to date. Clinicians must be aware of factors affecting RISHN development and latency, and risk factor identification may lead to earlier detection and prevention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of gallium(III) amide corroles including meso‐5,15‐bis(pentafluorophenyl)‐10‐(4‐Pyridinamide‐phenyl)corrole gallium (III) (1‐Ga), meso‐5,15‐bis(pentafluorophenyl)‐10‐(4‐Furamide‐phenyl)corrole gallium(III) (2‐Ga) and meso‐5,15‐bis(pentafluorophenyl)‐10‐(4‐Thiophenamide‐phenyl)corrole gallium(III) (3‐Ga) were synthesized. The interaction of these complexes with DNA and their photodynamic antitumor activities have been studied. UV spectra titration showed that these gallium(III) corroles interact with calf thymus DNA (CT‐DNA) through an external binding mode. All three gallium(III) corroles can effectively generate singlet oxygen under illumination and have good photostability. Among the three gallium(III) corroles, 2‐Ga exhibited excellent photodynamic antitumor activity against the tested tumor cell lines under light irradiation (625±2 nm, 0.3 mW/cm2, 1.08 J/cm2). The best phototoxicity was observed by 2‐Ga against HepG2 cells (IC50=6.3±0.9), which is even better than temoporfin (IC50=8.4±1.8). It could block HepG2 cells in the sub‐G0 phase and effectively induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells under 625 nm light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB) is a catastrophic complication of decompensated liver cirrhosis. We aimed to establish a nomogram based on noninvasive clinical and imaging variables to predict the risk of EVB. Methods: The cut‐off value of each variable was determined through univariate regression analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the risk factors and establish predictive models. The nomogram was established and validated using the calibration discrimination across different groups. Results: Six indicators, including platelet count, hemoglobin, albumin to globulin ratio, fasting blood glucose, serum chloride, and computed tomography portal vein diameter (CTPD), were found to be related to the risk of EVB. Two models, with or without CTPD, were established and compared. Model 1 with CTPD had better discrimination than model 2 with C‐index of 0.893 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.872–0.915) and 0.862 (95% CI 0.837–0.887) in the primary cohort, respectively (Z = 2.027, P = 0.043). While the C‐index of the two models in the validation cohort was 0.878 (95% CI 0.838–0.919) and 0.810 (95% CI 0.757–0.863). Moreover, the clinical decision analysis curve and clinical impact curve showed that these models might confer a significant net benefit on patients and provide a reference threshold for clinicians. Conclusion: A nomogram using routine clinical indicators was established to predict the risk of EVB in patients with liver cirrhosis, which was verified in an independent cohort and demonstrated a great consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the trajectory of decisional conflict and anxiety experienced by adolescents after the cancer diagnosis, and explore their perceptions on participation in shared decision‐making (SDM). Design: This longitudinal study used incorporated data from questionnaires and interviews. Methods: Participants recruited from an academic hospital in southern Taiwan ranged in age from 13 to 20 years with a cancer diagnosis within 1 month and received cancer treatment. Each participant completed questionnaires on decisional conflict and anxiety at diagnosis, 1, 3, and 6 months later. Individual interviews were to gain an in‐depth understanding of SDM. Findings: Total scores on decisional conflict changed significantly over time (F = 2.98, p = 0.039); the scores at 1 month were higher than 3 months (t = 2.18, p = 0.04) and 6 months (t = 2.97, p = 0.008). Participants perceived significantly different levels of values clarify (F = 9.49, p < 0.01) and support (F = 8.46, p < 0.01) over time. Only 27.3% of participants were anxiety‐free. No significant differences were found in anxiety over time. The perception of SDM was a situational involvement. Conclusions: Decisional conflict changed over time. Participants experienced greater decisional conflict at 4–8 weeks after diagnosis and their anxiety did not decrease over time. The different levels of participation in SDM during their treatment trajectory were found. Clinical Relevance: Participants experienced the highest decisional conflict during diagnosis, and highlighted how their roles in healthcare discussions varied from direct participation to indirect involvement. Further research is needed to develop an SDM model which accommodates different levels of needs and implements timely support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg yolk is a common cryoprotectant that can be used as a semen extender to protect the spermatozoa from damage during cryopreservation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of fresh and lyophilized egg yolk, as a Tris‐base extender, on the quality of cryopreserved goat semen. Semen from 10 rams of two different breeds (Boer and Saanen) was collected using an artificial vagina. Each ejaculate sample was divided into four equal aliquots, which contained 20% of the fresh egg yolk (a control group), and then 10%, 15%, and 20% of the lyophilized egg yolk as a Tris‐base extender. Sperm motility and kinetic parameters were determined using a computer‐assisted semen analyser. The results showed that the addition of 20% of the fresh egg yolk in Tris‐base extender exhibited significantly higher progressive motility, progressive fast motility, distance curve line, and beat‐cross frequency parameters in the post‐thaw Boer and Saanen goat sperm when compared with the addition of 10%, 15%, and 20% of the lyophilized egg yolk. The percentage of total motility and immotile parameters in the post‐thaw Boer and Saanen goat sperm were not significantly different between the control and 10%, 15% as well as 20% of the lyophilized egg yolk groups. Moreover, the percentage of viability parameter in the Boer and Saanen goat sperm was not significantly different between the control and 10% of the lyophilized egg yolk group but showed significant difference between the control group and 15% and 20% of the lyophilized egg yolk groups. Furthermore, the interaction between the two breeds was significantly different in terms of head activity and straightness parameter. In conclusion, the treatment with 20% of fresh egg yolk in Tris‐base extender is superior to the lyophilized egg yolk. However, an addition of 10% of the lyophilized egg yolk in Tris‐base extender presented the percentage of total motility and viability parameters showing no difference with 20% of fresh egg yolk. Therefore, 10% of the lyophilized egg yolk in Tris‐base extender provided detail of the lyophilized egg yolk protocol in cryopreserved goat semen as an example of an alternative extender to 20% of fresh egg yolk for situations where an animal's origin represents a microbiological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the preparation and characterization of an A2B corrole 5,15‐bis(perfluorophenyl)‐10‐(4‐carboxyphenyl)corrole and its gallium(III) and phosphorus(V) complexes. Their in‐vitro photodynamic anticancer activities against A549, MDA‐MB‐231, B16, HepG2, and Hela cell lines were also investigated. Among three compounds, phosphorus(V) complexexhibits the best photostability, highest fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF=0.138), and the highest singlet‐oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ=0.87). Also, the phosphorus(V) complex exhibits the best photodynamic antitumor activity against MDA‐MB‐231 cells with a low IC50 (0.08 μM) upon light irradiation at 625±2 nm, which is much lower than commercial PDT drug Temoporfin (0.1 μM) at the same conditions. The cellular localization assay confirmed that the phosphorus(V) complexis mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and have a good ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light illumination, which would further cause oxidative damage to tumor cells and finally result in the apoptosis. After PDT treatment, phosphorus(V) complex may cause tumor cell arrest at the G2/M stage. The preliminary results showed phosphorus(V) corrole complex is a good candidate for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the ability of the novel LA strain parameters to discriminate patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from individuals with risk factors of HFpEF. Methods and results: A total of n = 389 patients with risk factors for HFpEF finally was prospectively enrolled into the study, 66 of them were diagnosed with HFpEF by the 2021 ESC HF guidelines. Fifty‐five patients were undergone left ventricular catheterization and simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography was performed, 35 of them with elevated left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) was measured in all patients. LA filling index was defined as the ratio of mitral E and LASr and LA stiffness index was calculated as E/e′/LASr. Compared with the patients in the normal LVEDP subgroup, those in the elevated LVEDP subgroup showed significantly higher LA filling index, LA stiffness index, and LAVI/LASr. The receiver‐operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed LASr (area under curve [AUC].840), LA filling index (AUC.843), LA stiffness index (AUC.766), and LAVI/LASr (AUC.755) had good diagnostic accuracy for elevated LVEDP. Inter‐technique agreement analysis showed the novel algorithms with LA strain parameters had good agreement with the invasive LVEDP measurement, better than the 2016 ASE/SCAI algorithms (kappa.711 vs..101). Furthermore, compared with patients without HFpEF, LASr was lower in HFpEF, LA filling index, LA stiffness index, and LAVI/LASr was higher in patients with HFpEF. ROC analysis showed the novel LA strain parameters with good accuracy (AUC.756 to.821) non‐inferior to conventional echocardiographic parameters could identify HFpEF, and LA stiffness index (AUC.821) was the best one. Conclusion: The novel LA strain parameters could be of potential usefulness in estimating LVEDP and incorporated into the 2016 EACVI/ASE criteria would improve the diagnostic efficiency. The novel LA strain parameters with good accuracy non‐inferior to conventional echocardiographic parameters could discriminate HFpEF from patients with risk factors of HFpEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease in adults and it is often asymptomatic. Percutaneous device closure is gaining popularity, but percutaneous repair of atrial septal defect leading to left atrial rupture and subsequent autotransfusion under high pressure leading to air embolism has not been reported yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Golgi apparatus (GA) translocates to the cell leading end during directional migration, thereby determining cell polarity and transporting essential factors to the migration apparatus. The study provides mechanistic insights into how GA repositioning (GR) is regulated. We show that the methyltransferase PRMT5 methylates the microtubule regulator HURP at R122. The HURP methylation mimicking mutant 122F impairs GR and cell migration. Mechanistic studies revealed that HURP 122F or endogenous methylated HURP, that is, HURP m122, interacts with acetyl‐tubulin. Overexpression of HURP 122F stabilizes the bundling pattern of acetyl‐tubulin by decreasing the sensitivity of the latter to a microtubule disrupting agent nocodazole. HURP 122F also rigidifies GA via desensitizing the organelle to several GA disrupting chemicals. Similarly, the acetyl‐tubulin mimicking mutant 40Q or tubulin acetyltransferase αTAT1 can rigidify GA, impair GR, and retard cell migration. Reversal of HURP 122F‐induced GA rigidification, by knocking down GA assembly factors such as GRASP65 or GM130, attenuates 122F‐triggered GR and cell migration. Remarkably, PRMT5 is found downregulated and the level of HURP m122 is decreased during the early hours of wound healing‐based cell migration, collectively implying that the PRMT5‐HURP‐acetyl‐tubulin axis plays the role of brake, preventing GR and cell migration before cells reach empty space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of thermoelectric (TE) materials depends on an interplay between various material properties, and strategies for co‐optimizing these properties will be necessary for implementing these materials in the future. In this work, bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) and acid treated multiwalled carbon nanotube (f‐MWNT) composites are fabricated by wet chemical synthesis at room temperature. Bi2S3 is intimately anchored onto the surface of the f‐MWNT to form a coaxial nanostructure. The power factor of the composite is enhanced relative to both the pure Bi2S3 and MWNTs, due to a large enhancement of the electrical conductivity. The enhanced conductivity is attributed to restructuring of the bismuth (Bi) and oxygen (O) bonding environments when Bi2S3 is chemically interfaced with the f‐MWNTs, suggestive of the formation of a strongly coupled complex via BiO/BiS bonds. Strong‐coupling is further supported by scanning transmission electron microscopy, Raman, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, which reveal fast charge‐transfer between the Bi2S3 and MWNT when interfaced together. These results support material compositing as a potential strategy for engineering enhanced TE materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus corrole has been explored as a promising photosensiter for photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment in decade. A new trans‐bishydroxyl axial ligated phosphorus(V) 5, 15‐bis(pentafluorophenyl)‐10(p‐hydroxylphenyl) corrole (1‐P) was synthesized and well characterized by X‐ray structure determination. Complex 1‐P could bind ct‐DNA via an outside binding mode and displayed good photonuclease activity. After illumination, it might significantly generate singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion radical. 1‐P exhibited low dark toxicity but high photocytotoxicity against HepG2, CNE‐2, A549 and MDA‐MB‐231 tumor cell lines. Preliminary results show 1‐P is a promising candidate of PDT photosensitizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D morphology of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), crystallized in the presence of diluents of poly(1,3‐trimethylene adipate) and poly(ethylene oxide), is probed using a novel approach coupled with selective etching. For interpreting the mechanisms of crystal periodic aggregation, various microscopic techniques and synchrotron microbeam X‐ray analysis are used to observe the top surface in connection with the 3D crystal assemblies. Periodic grating architectures, with the cross‐bar pitch exactly matching with the optical band spacing, are proved in banded PHB. The crystals under the ridge branch out to spawn finer crystals orienting/bending horizontally underneath the valley band, repeating till species drainage or impingement. The grating structure in the banded PHB resembles many nature's iridescence crystals and is further proved by photonic reflection results as a critical breakthrough novel finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

6‐Cyano‐7‐aminoquinoline (6CN−7AQ) and 3‐cyano‐7‐aminoquinoline (3CN−7AQ) were synthesized and found to exhibit intense emission with quantum yield as high as 63 % and 85 %, respectively, in water. Conversely, their derivatives 6‐cyano‐7‐azidoquinoline (6CN−7N3Q) and 3‐cyano‐7‐azidoquinoline (3CN−7N3Q) show virtually no emission, which makes them suitable to be used as recognition agents in azide reactions based on fluorescence recovery. Moreover, conjugation of 6CN−7AQ with a hydrophobic biomembrane‐penetration peptide PFVYLI renders a nearly non‐emissive 6CN−7AQ‐PFVYLI composite, which can be digested by proteinase K, recovering the highly emissive 6CN−7AQ with ∼200‐fold enhancement. The result provides an effective early confirmation for RT‐qPCR in viral detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is an important focus of public health worldwide. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of temporal trends in incidence and mortality of leading cancer in Guangzhou, China from 2004 to 2015. Methods: Data were collected from the population‐based registry in Guangzhou. Age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were calculated and Joinpoint regression was used for evaluating the average annual percent changes (AAPC) among the entire study period and the estimated annual percent changes (EAPC) in time segments. The effects of age, period, and birth cohort were assessed by the age–period–cohort model. Results: The age‐standardized incidence and mortality by the world standard population decreased significantly among males with AAPC of −1.7% (95% CI: −3.0%, 0.2%) and −2.7% (95% CI: −4.3%, −1.1%) for all malignancies during 2004–2015, while among females, the age‐standardized incidence had a non‐significant reduction with AAPC of −1.3% (95% CI: −2.8%, 0.2%) and the age‐standardized mortality demonstrated a remarkable decline (AAPC −2.0%, 95% CI: −3.6%, −0.3%). For males, the most commonly diagnosed cancers were trachea, bronchus, and lung (TBL), liver, colorectal, nasopharyngeal, stomach, and prostate cancer. For females, breast, TBL, colorectal, liver stomach, and thyroid cancer ranked the top. Unfavorable trends were observed in ASIR of colorectal, thyroid, and prostate cancer. APC models yielded different ages, periods, and birth cohort effect patterns by cancer sites. Conclusions: Cancer burden remained a public health challenge in Guangzhou as the aging population and lifestyles changes, despite declines in incidence and mortality rates in some cancers. Surveillance of cancer trends contributed to valuable insights into cancer prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that visual attention effect can spread to the task‐irrelevant auditory modality automatically through either the stimulus‐driven binding process or the representation‐driven priming process. Using an attentional blink paradigm, the present study investigated whether the long‐latency stimulus‐driven and representation‐driven cross‐modal spread of attention would be inhibited or facilitated when the attentional resources operating at the post‐perceptual stage of processing are inadequate, whereas ensuring all visual stimuli were spatially attended and the representations of visual target object categories were activated, which were previously thought to be the only endogenous prerequisites for triggering cross‐modal spread of attention. The results demonstrated that both types of attentional spreading were completely suppressed during the attentional blink interval but were highly prominent outside the attentional blink interval, with the stimulus‐driven process being independent of, whereas the representation‐driven process being dependent on, audiovisual semantic congruency. These findings provide the first evidence that the occurrences of both stimulus‐driven and representation‐driven spread of attention are contingent on the amount of post‐perceptual attentional resources responsible for the late consolidation processing of visual stimuli, whereas the early detection of visual stimuli and the top‐down activation of the visual representations are not the sole endogenous prerequisites for triggering any types of cross‐modal attentional spreading. The present study newly demonstrates that the occurrences of both stimulus‐driven and representation‐driven attentional spreading from visual to auditory modality are contingent on the amount of post‐perceptual attentional resources that are responsible for the late consolidation processing of visual stimuli. These findings indicate that the previously proposed space‐based and object‐based visual attention operating at the perceptual stage of processing are not the sole endogenous prerequisites for triggering any types of cross‐modal attentional spreading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop new life‐prolonging therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is demonstrated that improved irinotecan delivery by a lipid bilayer coated mesoporous silica nanoparticle, also known as a silicasome, can improve PDAC survival through a chemo‐immunotherapy response in an orthotopic Kras‐dependent pancreatic cancer model. This discovery is premised on the weak‐basic properties of irinotecan, which neutralizes the acidic lysosomal pH in PDAC cells. This effect triggers a linked downstream cascade of events that include autophagy inhibition, endoplasmic reticulum stress, immunogenic cell death (ICD), and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression. ICD is characterized by calreticulin expression and high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release in dying Kras‐induced pancreatic cancer (KPC) cells, which is demonstrated in a vaccination experiment to prevent KPC tumor growth on the contralateral site. The improved delivery of irinotecan by the silicasome is accompanied by robust antitumor immunity, which can be synergistically enhanced by anti‐PD‐1 in the orthotopic model. Immunophenotyping confirms the expression of calreticulin, HMGB1, PD‐L1, and an autophagy marker, in addition to perforin and granzyme B deposition. The chemo‐immunotherapy response elicited by the silicasome is more robust than free or a liposomal drug, Onivyde. The silicasome plus anti‐PD‐1 leads to significantly enhanced survival improvement, and is far superior to anti‐PD‐1 plus either free irinotecan or Onivyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumors. CircRNA ephrin type‐B receptor 4 (circEPHB4) is a circular RNA derived from the receptor tyrosine kinase EPHB4. However, the clinical significance and the specific roles of circEPHB4 in gliomas and glioma cancer stem cells (CSC) have not been studied. Here, we found that circEPHB4 (hsa_circ_0081519) and SOX10 were up‐regulated and microRNA (miR)‐637 was down‐regulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. Consistently, circEPHB4 was positively correlated with SOX10 but negatively correlated with miR‐637. The altered expressions of these molecules were independently associated with overall survival of patients. CircEPHB4 up‐regulated SOX10 and Nestin by directly sponging miR‐637, thereby stimulating stemness, proliferation and glycolysis of glioma cells. Functionally, silencing circEPHB4 or increasing miR‐637 levels in glioma cells was sufficient to inhibit xenograft growth in vivo. In conclusion, the circEPHB4/miR‐637/SOX10/Nestin axis plays a central role in controlling stem properties, self‐renewal and glycolysis of glioma cells and predicts the overall survival of glioma patients. Targeting this axis might provide a therapeutic strategy for malignant gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during cryopreservation process impairs the sperm characteristics and fertilizing ability. However, melatonin, an antioxidant, could protect spermatozoa against this cell damage during cryopreservation. Therefore, we attempted to evaluate whether the melatonin supplementing in the semen extender could improve the sperm quality of swamp buffalo during cryopreservation. The semen collected from six swamp buffalo bulls were diluted with tris‐citrate egg yolk extender supplementing with 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mM of melatonin. The parameters of sperm viability and motility were evaluated using computer‐assisted semen analyser (CASA) after cryopreservation on days 1, 7, 15 and 30. The group supplemented with 1.0 mM melatonin exhibited the higher viability after cryopreservation on days 1, 7, 15 and 30 with 58.346 ± 2.1a, 57.586 ± 2.0a, 55.082 ± 1.8a and 55.714 ± 1.8a, respectively, and showed the best results of motility parameters. However, higher concentration of melatonin at 3.0 mM impaired all the parameters. In conclusion, the addition of melatonin at 1 mM to semen extender could exert the best protection against sperm damage in swamp buffalo bull during cryopreservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Galectin‐3 plays a crucial role in the regulation of inflammation. The aim of this study was to elucidate the association between LGALS3 genotypes, galectin‐3 levels, and inflammatory marker levels in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Results: A total of 474 patients with CAD were enrolled. Significant correlations were discerned between galectin‐3 levels and leukocyte counts, C‐reactive protein, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels (all p <.05). The LGALS3 rs2274273, rs4644, rs4652 genotypes, and haplotypes CAC, CCC, and ACT exhibited a significant association with galectin‐3 levels (for genotypes, p = 1.05 × 10−25, 3.54 × 10−25, and 2.74 × 10−7, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed LGALS3 rs2274273 and rs4644 genotypes contributing to 20.8% variation of galectin‐3 levels. However, there was no association between LGALS3 genotypes and other inflammatory marker levels. Conclusions: Our data showed strong genetic determinants of galectin‐3 levels in patients with CAD. The galectin‐3 levels, but not LGALS3 genotypes, were associated with multiple inflammatory marker levels. Further study may be necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanism of galectin‐3 in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct measurement of wavefunctions has attracted great interest and many different methods have been developed. However, the precision of current techniques is limited by the use of Fourier transform lenses. These measurements require to shear cut the part of particles with momentum P=0, which greatly restricts the efficiency and application of the approaches. Here, a method to directly measure 2D photonic wavefunctions is proposed and experimentally demonstrated by combining the momentum weak measurement technology and the zonal wavefront restoration algorithm. Both the Gaussian and Laguerre–Gaussian wavefunctions are experimentally well reconstructed. This method avoids using the Fourier lens and post selection on the momentum P=0. This is further applied to measure wavefronts with ultra‐high spatial frequency and achieve a pixel resolution, which is difficult for traditional Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensing technologies. This work extends the ability of quantum measurement techniques and will be useful for high‐resolution wavefront sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported a solvent‐controlled enantiodivergent Friedel‐Crafts reaction of 1‐naphthols with vinylogous imine intermediates, which were generated from arylsulfonyl indoles. This reaction was catalyzed by a single cinchona alkaloid bifunctional organocatalyst and could produce both enantiomers by using toluene or 1,2‐DCE as the solvents. Eyring plot analysis revealed that enthalpy‐entropy compensation dominates this enantiodivergent reaction. DFT calculation was used to probe and compare the R‐ and S‐selective pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: MicroRNA‐like RNAs (milRNAs) post‐transcriptionally down‐regulate target genes. We investigated Fusarium graminearum (Fg) milRNA expression during fungal vegetative growth and infection of wheat. Small RNA sequencing identified 36 milRNAs from Fg, one of which, Fgmil‐2, had >100 transcripts per million in conidia, mycelia and infected wheat, with the highest expression in conidia and the lowest expression in colonized wheat tissue. Fgmil‐2 displays perfect homology to the 3ʹ‐untranslated region (3ʹ‐UTR) of an FgbioH1 messenger RNA that is involved in biotin biosynthesis. Poly(A) polymerase‐mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends combined with sequencing analysis demonstrated that cleavage at a specific site by FgDicer2 in the 3ʹ‐UTR of FgbioH1 transcripts generated the Fgmil‐2 precursor with a typical hairpin structure. Deletion of FgbioH1 or FgDicer2 genes abolished Fgmil‐2 biogenesis. FgbioH1 had an inversely correlated pattern of expression to that of Fgmil‐2 and FgDicer2. Deletion of FgbioH1 also showed that it is required for mycelial growth, virulence, mycotoxin biosynthesis and expression of biotin‐dependent carboxylase genes. This study reveals in Fg a novel mode of inversely correlated post‐transcriptional regulation in which Fgmil‐2 originates from its own target transcript, FgbioH, to govern biotin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]